Pak captures BSF jawan swept away by Chenab river

HT Correspondent and agencies,
New Delhi

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Updated: Aug 06, 2014 21:13 IST

A BSF jawan deployed along the Indo-Pakistan border was captured by Pakistani forces early on Wednesday after he was swept away by a strong current of the Chenab river in Akhnoor area of Jammu district.

The Border Security Force (BSF), immediately after the incident occurred early morning, sought a flag meeting with their counterparts Pakistan Rangers for getting the jawan back.

BSF officials said the trooper, identified as Satyasheel Yadav of the water wing of the border guarding force (33rd battalion) , was out on a patrol with three other personnel in the Paragwal-Khour sub-sector of general area Akhnoor along the Line of Control when the boat they were travelling in developed a technical snag.

They said that when the patrol squad was negotiating a narrow bend in the river in this sector, the engine of the motorboat failed.

A rescue boat later sent to fetch the BSF men was taken by three personnel but Yadav got drifted in the strong current as the rope holding him snapped and he subsequently landed 400 metres away in the Sialkot sector of Pakistan where he was picked up the Rangers, they said.

Inspector General Border Security Force (Jammu Frontiers) Rakesh Sharma told HT that they have contacted Pakistan rangers and the jawan will most possibly be returned soon.

“While three jawans were shifted, the damaged boat moved towards Pakistan in a sudden strong water currents. The jawan - Sataysheel Yadav of 33rd battalion –jumped off the boat when it was about 400-mt from the Pakistan border and swam to their territory,” said the IG.

A Rangers official confirmed the capture as he told PTI that a BSF personnel had entered Bajwaat sector, about 150 kms from Lahore.

"We are interrogating him whether he crossed into our side inadvertently or he had any other design. We will also speak to the BSF officials concerned about it," the official said.